LA Clippers vs Toronto Raptors Injury Report: Is Kawhi Leonard Playing?

Forward Kawhi Leonard was supposed to be the big storyline when the Toronto Raptors visit the Los Angeles Clippers at the Intuit Dome on Monday night, but his left knee has other plans.

The Clippers traded Leonard back to Toronto this summer in a deal that brought back forward Brandon Ingram, guard Gradey Dick and future picks, according to NBA.com, and this is the only Raptors game scheduled at the Intuit Dome this season.

Tipoff is at 7 p.m. Pacific, and both teams are on the second night of a back-to-back.

The Clippers are 1-5 after a 124-112 loss at Golden State on Sunday, while Toronto is 3-3 after a 131-125 loss to the Lakers.

As of the league's noon Eastern report on Monday, Toronto had not filed its injury list for this game.

Leonard was out on Sunday's official report with left knee injury management, and ESPN still lists him as out.

Leonard has played just two games this season and has now missed four straight.

NBA.com reported that he was dealing with swelling in his left knee and that tests showed no acute injury, while Chris Haynes reported that he could miss around three to four weeks.

After practice last Thursday, Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic said the team would review Leonard's progress in seven days, according to Eurohoops.

"At this point, we don't have an exact date, we don't have an exact timeline," Rajakovic said.

Until that review happens, Toronto has no set return date for him, and there is no reason for the Raptors to rush him back on a back-to-back.

The Raptors host the Clippers on Jan. 1, so Monday's game is the one scheduled chance for fans in Los Angeles to see Leonard face his old team.

The Clippers' list was long on Sunday, but guard Darius Garland will play on Monday after being noticeably banged up over the last few games.

Guard Bradley Beal was out with right knee injury management, Ingram was out after right heel surgery, guard Max Strus was out with a right plantar fascia tear, center Yanic Konan Niederhauser was out after right Lisfranc surgery, and guard Jordan Miller was out after left rotator cuff surgery.

Guard Max Strus will return from his right plantar fascia tear on Monday, which is a huge lift for a team that has struggled to shoot the ball, but forward Rui Hachimura and forward Derrick Jones Jr. are both out.

The losing streak is now at five games, and the rotation has been far from the one this team was built to play.

Forward Rui Hachimura scored 24 points on 10-of-16 shooting against the Warriors, guard Kobe Sanders added 16 off the bench, and guard Kris Dunn had seven steals.

Toronto center Jakob Poeltl missed Sunday's game with left shoulder bursitis and is listed by ESPN as day-to-day.

Center Nate Bittle is out with a right avulsion fracture, and guard Malachi Smith is on a G League two-way assignment.

Forward Scottie Barnes scored 29 points against the Lakers, and forward RJ Barrett added 22 points and 10 rebounds.

The Clippers have come up short in different ways during this streak, from the blowout in Minnesota to Sunday's trip to San Francisco.

Without Leonard, Toronto is beatable, and the Clippers have to win this one at home before the streak gets any longer.